cartier



Patented May 30, |899.

2 Sheets--Sheet I.

@VV/M... N

INsToN, D. c,

J. CARTIER. BOMBINED FISH AND ANIMAL TRAP.

(Apblication mea .my 7, 189s.)

(N0 Modal.)

No. 625,742. 4 Patented My so, |899.

J. CARTIER. COMBINED FISH AND ANIMAL TRAP.

(Application fixed .my 7, 189e.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nanms Pzrzns co. PHOYaLn'HoA, WASNINGTGN. D. c

UNITED Srryrnsu PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB CARTIER, OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR GEORGE PELLETIER, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED FISH AND ANIMAL TRAP.l

sPEcIFrcATIoN forming part f Letters' Patent No. 625,742, dated May so, 1899.

Application tiled .Tuly 7,1898. Serial No. 685,345. (Nognodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: 1

Be it known that I, JACOB CARTIER, a citizen of Athe United States,residing at Biddeford, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain lImproVements in a Combined Fish and Animal Trap, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined fish and animal trap adapted for catching large or small fish and also for trapping animals on land; and my invention consists in certain novel features and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved fish and animal trap. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig.\1. Fig.` 3

is a central vertical section on theline 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. '4. is a detail in perspective of one of the hook-arms and its hub and actuatingspring.

same. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is anenlarged sectional detail on the line S 8 of Fig. 3. Figi 9 is a detail to be referred to.` zontal section on the line l0 10 of Fig. 5. Fig. 11 is a det-ail to be referred to.

In the drawings, A represents a vertical stem .or bar which supports the operating 4 parts of the trap and is provided at its upper end with a detachable sinker A', to be hereinafter described, at the upper end of which is al ring or eye to which may be fasi tened a line 10, by which the trap is to be lowered into the water. The lower end of the stem A is enlarged and provided with a circular opening b, forming a ring or annulus, which is recessed-or rabbeted on eachside at 12 to receive two hubs d, each provided with a peripheral flange e, Figs. 2 and 4, and free to be rotated on a central pivot-pin f, which passes through both hubs and is provided at its ends with nuts 13 to hold said hubs sesV curely in place within the rabbetededges of ends,where they are provided with barbs, as

Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe stem of the trap. Fig. 6 is an edge View of theV shown. If desired, each of the hook-arms B may be provided with an additional barbed y hook b', as shownin Fig. 4. Each of these hook-arms B is provided at itsinner end with an eye g, through which passes the pivot-pin f, said arm being securely fastened to or connected with one of the hubs d, so as to turn therewith, by being dropped into a square notch 15 in itsflange e, as shown in Fig. 4, the eye-g being held in place by turning over thereupon the end of a iiange 16, forming part of the hub d. This construction enables the hook-arm to be replaced by another when accidently broken or injured or when an arm of with a square notch t', said notches when the .arms are swung upward to setthe` trap, as

shown dotted in Fig. 1, being by the rotation ofthe hubs in opposite directions brought into line with each other immediately over the upper end of -a verticalsliding barbed bait-holding tripping bar or rodk, the upper end of which consists of a small detachable rectangular block or piece 20, which enters the notches t', thereby holding .the arms B B in the raised position showndotted in Fig. l against the resistance of the spring h, the trap being then set.` The lower end of the stem A is bored out longitudinally to form an aperture 21 to receive the sliding bait-rod Ieand is provided with a vertical slot m, extending `into the opening b, and between .the bottom of this slot and the block 2O said rod is surrounded by a light coiled spring n, which tends to force the rodle upward andkeeps' the block 2O Within ,the notches e' until drawn down to spring the trap `by a fish Vor .animal seizing the bait on the rod 7c, when the arms B will be released and instantly swungdown in the arc of a circle by the spring h/i'ntothe..

position shown in Fig. 1, the hooks or barbs IOO entering the iish or animal to catch and hold him securely, as desired. The upper end of the bait-rod 7c is preferably screwed into the block 2O to enable it tobe passed through the 'vertical guideway 2l at the bottom of the stem A and also to enable it to be easily removed and replaced by another when broken or when a different size or variety of bait-holding hook is desiredfor example, a spoonbait or one having an artificial fly attached thereto. v

The baitholding rod 7s is preferably provided With a spirally-twisted portion immediately above its barb or point, as shown, which I consider a very great advantage, as it holds the bait firmly and prevents it from being easily pulled off or detached when seized `by-a ish or animal. Another advantage is that it gives alife-like appearance toa worm `held by said bait-holding device. l

The lower end of the stem A is provided x withtwo projections q q, which extend outu wardly from opposite sides of the same and u serve as stops to limit the downward movement of the spring-actuated arms.

= To enable the arms B B to be easily swung f up to set the trap or disengage the hook from a'iish or-animal for the purpose of putting on o'r taking offthe bait without injury tothe hands, I preferably place upon the pivot-pin f, outside each of the hubs CZ, a short sleeve .9", which rotates upon said pivot-pin, said f -sleeve r being detachably connected with the fadjacent `hub by means of coupling projections on the one engaging notches on the other,

f1 as shown in Fig. 2, whereby said sleeve may be removed from the pin f when required.

's :represents a fiat spring bent double and fha-ving an aperture at its enlarged top to enable it to fit over the stem A, each branch of fi said spring having an aperture 55 at its lower 1 end to enable it tofreely slip over one of the ,z sleeves r." These sleeves are provided, re- 2 spectively, with spiral ribs w, which engage 4`notches 30, Figs. l and 2, at the sides of the openings 55 of the springs, whereby-as the two branches of said sprin g are forced toward v"each other by pressure between the thumb r andlinger thesleeves r will be turned in oplposite directions upon the pin f,- andV thus fthrongh the connections described raise or swing up the hook-arms B Bagainst'the re- `sistance of the coiledspring h to remove their `poi-nts from the fish or animal or to afford con- `ssy 1 to Aremove or a'flix the bait.

`f of the spring s exert force in an outward di- 4venient access to the bait-holdin g hook or rod The two branches rection and by their action on the sleeves of the hubs CZ .assist the spring h to swing down larms closedtogether after the trap has been the arms B B and also tend to keep the said sprung, rendering it im possible for the fish or "anlmal to disengage himself therefrom by forcing them apart. l

f it is desired to simplify the construction and.

This `auxiliary spring device1nay,however, be dispensed with where reduce the number of parts to aminimum, ref

liance being placed on the spring h alo-ne to operate the arms to catch the fish or animal and hold him when caught.

At the top of the stem A is preferably secured a curved lsemitubular guard-plate D, which extends over the hooked ends of the spring-actuated arms B B when raised, and thereby prevents them from catching in seaweed or other substances which would interfere with their free movement when released. At each end of this guard-plate D is a sliding safety-ring 26, open at the bottom to admit the arm B when swung upward, said ring being afterward partially rotated around said guard-plate to engage said arm and lock it to prevent possible injury to the hands from the accidental springing of thetrap while handling the same.

Each of the hubs d is providedat its edge with ratchet-teeth 27, and around the stem A is loosely `fitted aslide 23,'.Figs- 2, 3, and 1l, which is held up near the top of the stem by the hook-arms B when in their raised position, said slide being provided with two proj ections 53, which when the slide drops down by its own weight on the release of the hookarms B engage'the vratchet-teeth 27 on'v-the hubs, and thus prevent said arms from being opened or'forcedapart by the fish in its efforts to escape.

The lupper end 4:5 ofl the'stem A is provided with fa head or enlargement 60, which enters the sinker A',- as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This sinker consists of a spherical piece of `metal 31,-provided with a recess 32, in'which is litted a spiral spring Around thepiece 3l lits a wireframe 34, providedwith an eye at the top, to which is fastened the fish-line lO, a vertical portion 35, which enters the part 3l,which is free to turn axially thereon; and' 3l axially on the vertical lportion 35 of the.

frame 34 may bebrought into -line to 'register with the slots 4l of the tube 37 to permit of an upward movement of the block 39. Immediately under the block 39 is placed a second cylindrical block aresting on a lip or flange a3 at the bottom ofthe tube 37'and having a longitudinal aperture 43 forthe re ce'ption of the upper portion -15 of the stem A, provided with the head 60,'which 'when the portion is forced up through theaperture 43 is brought into contact with and raises the block 39 against the resistance of the spring 33, the lugs 40 of the block 39 then' passing out of theslots inthe tube 37 and up into the slots 42 of the part 31 previously ro- IOO IIO

tated to bring them opposite to the slots 41. The stem A is now turned axially a quarter of arevolution, causing the lateral projections of the head to be brought over a transverse groove 48 in the upper endot the block 0.2, Figs. 3 and 9, when by releasing the sinker the sprin g 33, acting on the block 39, will cause the head 60 to enter the groove 48, which thusprevents it from being drawn out of the sinker,

the lugs of the block 39 having been by this movement caused to again pass down into the slots 4l of the tube 37. The part 3l is now turned on its axis to carry its slots 4Z out of register with the slots 41, which will prevent the block 39 from being raised by any upward pressure on the stem A, and consequently the parts will be locked securely in place, it being then impossible to withdraw the stem A from the sinker A until the part 3l has again been rotated to bring its slots 42 into line with the slots of the tube 37, when the head 60 can be raised out of the groove 48 and the stem A rotated into a position to allow said head to be drawn down out of the aperture 43 of the block a2. The above construction allows the sinker A', with the iish-line attached, to be easily removed from the stem A or replaced thereon when required and will save much time hitherto wasted in tying and untying the piece of catgut or fine wire which is usually fastened to the upper portion of a fish-hook.

Instead of making the spherical part 3l of metal it may be made of cork or other flotative lmaterial to adapt it to act as a float to keep the trap on the surface of the Water instead of serving as a sinker, as previously described, and the top of the stem 45 is provided with a hole or eye to enable the iishline to be attached thereto when the trap is to be used without the sinker oriloat.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l., A fish and animal trap comprising a central stem or support, a pair of spring-actuated arms provided with hooks and secured to hubs provided with peripheral notches and arranged to rotate in opposite directions on a pivot pin or support at the lower end of said central stem as said arms are swung upward and downward, and the verticallysliding bait-holding rod and tripping-bar adapted to enter the peripheral notches of said hubs when brought into line therewith, whereby the spring-actuated arms are held in a raised position when the trap is set, substantially as described.

2. In a sh and animal trap, the combination with a central stem having an annular enlargement at its lower end recessed or rabbeted on each side, of a pair of hubs mounted on a pivot-pin and provided with peripheral notches, said hubs litting within the rabbeted edges of the said annular enlargement and carrying a pair of spring-actuated arms provided with hooks or barbs, and a spring-actuated bait-holdin g rod and tripping-bar sliding within the lower end of the central stem and by the seizing of the bait, and suitable stops l projecting from the lower end of the stem to limit the movement of the hook-arms when released, substantially as described.

3. In a sh and animal trap, the combination with the central-stem or support, of the notched hubs carrying thevhook-arms and rotating in opposite directions upon apivot-pin, a single spring coiled around the pivot-pin and having its ends connected with said hubs to simultaneously rotate the same in opposite directions to swing the hook-arms downward, and a bait-holding tripping-bar engaging said hubs to hold the hook-arms in a raised position when the trap is set, substantially as described.

4. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the central stem or support, of the spring-actuated hook-arms secured to notched hubs rotating on a pivot-pin, said hubs having connected therewith sleeves* encircling said pivot-pin and having spiral ribs, apair ot spring-arms secured at their upper ends to the central stem and tting over the said sleeves and provided with slots-for receiving said spiral ribs, whereby the hook-arms may be raised by pressing said spring-arms toward each other, and a sliding bait-holding trip-- ping device adapted to engage said hubs and 4hold the spring-actuated hook-arms ina raised ICO position when the trap is set, substantially as described.

5. In a ish and animal trap, the combination with the spring-actuated hook-arms and their notched hubs, of a vertically-sliding bait-holding rod provided Aat its upper end withl a detachable block or piece adapted to engage and hold said hubs when the said hookarms are swung upward to set the trap, substantially as set forth.

6. In a iish and animal trap, the combination with the central stem or support, of the spring-actuated hook-arms and their notched hubs, the bait-holding tripping-bar sliding in a guide at the lower end of said central stem and having a detachable block or piece adapted to enter the notches of the hubs andhold the same when the hook-arms are swung upward, and a spiral spring encircling the haitholding rod and tending to force the same upward to keep it engaged with theV hubs, substantially as described.

7. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the'stem A, and the spring-actuated hook-arms and their hubs,the latter provided With ratchet-teeth, of the slide 28 adapted to move freely on said stem and provided with projections adapted to engage the ratchetteeth of the hubs to lock the hook-arms when swung down, saidslide being supported near 8. In a sh and animal trap, the combination With the stem, the spring-actuated hookarms and the curved guard-plate D, of the sliding safety-rings open at the bottom to admit the hook-arms B when raised, and adapted to be partially rotated on said guard-plate to catch and lock said arms, substantially as set forth.

9. In a fish and animal trap, the combina- 1 tion with the stem A provided at its upper end with a head 60, of the sinker A consisting of the rotary portion 31 provided with a recess 32 and slots 42 and the spring 33, the Wire frame 34, the tube 37 secured thereto and having slots 41, the block 39 with its lugs 40,

; and the lower block a2 having an aperture 43 JACOB CARTIER.

In presence ofl GEORGE F. HALEY, LEROY HALEY. 

